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Sunday, January 19, 2014

This past week I was able to attend the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Having so many southern lines, there was no question in my mind when I signed up last June but that I would choose the tract “Southern Research,” with J. Mark Lowe .

I have taken courses from Mark before and I knew that in addition to learning the ins and outs of Southern research, I would also learn about the culture and the mindset of the southern people from a true southerner, accent and all. This week was no exception.

From Mark we learned terms such as “seasoning”, bran dance, and fictive kin and my “Amazon Wish List” grew by leaps and bounds, as did my bookmarks for my “go-to” websites. In addition, Mark taught us the value of “mull and ponder,” a step so many of us researchers overlook in our race to acquire yet more information.

In class Mark compared, overlaid and lined up side by side, topographic, physiographic, soil survey and migration maps, in addition to maps showing historic county boundaries. We learned about the geographic features of the states and how those things impacted our ancestor’s daily lives and ability to travel. Among other things, we learned about wills, estates and guardianship records as well as some of the traditions of the south. Mark taught us the value of knowing our ancestor’s religion and how we can track down the histories and records of those itinerant preachers that may have performed and recorded the important events of our ancestor’s lives. Mark covered Federal claims, road lists, long hunters, tax records and a variety of records that are unique to the South. We even learned the history behind such places as Cheek’s Stand (I wasn’t sure I would sleep that night). And just when we felt our heads might burst, he gave us homework assignments that provided an opportunity to try out some of our newly acquired knowledge.

SLIG 2014
Michelle & Mark Lowe

But as is typical, Mark’s class wasn’t all work. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit, ask questions, discuss and we laughed…..a lot. Mark helped us to not only know the South, but to feel something of that wonderful Southern hospitality. He is as warm and genuine as he is knowledgeable.

At the end of the class, Mark teased that I held the record for taking his classes the most and I think it just may be the truth. I love my Southern kin, and I long to not only fill my brain with a knowledge of their history, but also my heart with an understanding of their lives. And so I have jumped at opportunities to take classes from J. Mark Lowe, and this week, as always, I left feeling warmly rewarded for the effort.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

She was particular about her appearance, that much I could tell. Her hair and her clothes revealed an attention to detail as well as a certain degree of refinement. Her pictures stand in sharp contrast to many of the other pictures in my collection, reflecting a woman that not only was selective about what she wore, but appears to have been financially comfortable, at least at the time. But who was she? There were no dates, only a first name. I realized as I looked through the scant few pictures within my grandma’s bag, that one thing was for certain, the woman in the pictures had been special to someone in my family. While the pictures were few, there were more of her than any other single person. The backs of the pictures identified her simply as “Tula.” There were five pictures in all of Tula, with two pictures of other individuals, identified by their relationship to her.

In checking my database I realized that while there was more than one known Tula in my ancestry, there was really only one that fit and made any sense. Tula H. Faucett was born 11 Sept 1873 in Walker County, Georgia and was a sister to my great grandmother Sarah E. Faucett. While studying my great grandmother’s family, I had passed over Tula’s name many times without even pausing to learn anything about her. Intrigued now by her pictures, I decided it was high time I got to know her.

Unlike so many of those in my family tree, Tula was not hard to find. I was pleased to be able to locate her in census records, marriage records, a cemetery listing and newspaper clippings, which not only helped to tie her to the other people in the pictures, but also confirmed that I had the right Tula. Thrilled to have both pictures and documents, I was able to piece together at least portions of Tula’s life.

Tula was born to James Merritt Faucett and Elmina Bowers on 11 September 1873 in the rolling wooded hills of Walker County, Georgia, just across the Tennessee border. The youngest of seven children, Tula had three sisters and three brothers.

Tragedy struck the Faucett family when on August 3, 1876, Tula’s mother, Elmina, died leaving behind her husband, James, with the five children who were still at home. Tula was just 3 years old at the time and I can imagine that her sisters Martha and Sarah took her by the hand and helped her with her many needs in the months following their mother's death. Tula's older sister, Martha, soon married and moved out of the home, leaving Tula to rely on her sister Sarah, who was my great grandmother. Although as adults, Tula and Sarah lived in different states, the sisters stayed in touch, sharing some of their important life events through pictures. Those pictures remained in my grandmother's suitcase until after her death when they found their way to me.

Tula (Faucett) Eckles and daughter Ola

James Merritt Faucett and his children joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and migrated along with other members of the church from Georgia to the San Luis Valley in Colorado in the early 1880's. There he married Mary Elizabeth Kirkus. The 1885 Census shows James and his wife, Mary, living in Conejos County along with their two year old daughter. Tula is also living in Conejos County, but in a different household. Twelve years old and listed as a servant, specifically a cook, Tula is shown living with Lisle Wainwright and his wife Martha. I wish I knew the circumstances and story behind Tula living with another family and working as a cook at such a young age, but while there are likely many possible reasons for it, I can’t help but wonder if it implies something about the relationship between Tula and her new stepmother.

On 2 February 1896, Tula married Charles H. Eckles in Alamosa, Colorado and two years later, on March 6, 1898, their first child, Ola Eckles, was born. But once again tragedy struck in Tula’s life when her husband Charles passed away just 15 days after Ola‘s birth. I sadly realized that the pictures of Tula and Ola reflected not only that of a young wife and mother with her beloved daughter, but a woman that had already learned much about hardship and loss. I will share more of Tula's pictures and her story in coming posts.

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About Me

I have been actively researching for over 25 years primarily in the areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and even the southern portion of Colorado. When my nose isn’t in a quarterly or other genealogy book or publication, I am researching or attending a genealogy conference, institute, online class or webinar. I obtained a bachelor’s degree from BYU and I earned a certificate in genealogical research from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. I'm a member of numerous genealogical societies including the National Genealogical Society, Georgia Genealogical Society, North Carolina Genealogical Society and Carroll County Georgia Genealogical Society.
Questions or comments? You can contact me at shelltag1 at gmail dot com.